“While the Middle East braces for war, about three dozen self-described peaceniks will rotate into Iraq on renewable 10-day visas for as long as a threat exists.”

This sounds rather naive. On the other hand, this sounds remarkably noble (from the same article):

“Seattle’s Bert Sacks, 60, a retired civil engineer … is ferrying medicine for diarrhea and dysentery to Baghdad despite being fined $10,000 by the U.S. government for defying U.N. sanctions in 1997.

“Sacks has refused to pay the fine. He could face up to 12 years in prison and penalties of up to $1 million for continuing to violate sanctions.

“‘Yes, I have concerns about increased penalties for again bringing medicines to Iraq,’ Sacks said. ‘And yes, I again plan to bring medicines to Iraq.’”

And despite any possible objection I might have to the content of this effort, I can see the value in this belief: ‘You can’t be a vegetarian only between meals,’ said Kelly, 49. ‘And you can’t be a pacifist only between wars.’